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Friday, June 22, 2012

The Cautionary Instruction: Psychotropic medication and crime rates

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/Ipso Facto
June 22, 2012

Since the 1990s, crime rates have fallen considerably in cities large and small, across all regions of the country and all socioeconomic status. There are many theories about why crime rates have decreased so dramatically and so pervasively. Theories include a decline in the demand for crack cocaine, incarceration, an aging population even abortion.

Today, we examine how a cut back in mental health treatment could impact crime rates.
Medication has vastly improved the treatment of mental illness. In the last 20 years, 10 million more adults began using pharmacotherapy. During that same time period violent crime has steadily declined.

The common theme in the U.S. and Canada was that both countries were among the world’s leaders in treating mental illness with new psychiatric medications. No one can convincingly explain with certitude the astounding decline in violent crime, but the use of psychotropic medication cannot be discounted.

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Great article!I believe that a percentage of the use of illegal drugs stems from individuals with undiagnosed mental health issues who are self-medicating.I hope some day the stigma attached to mental illness is replaced with the understanding that mental illness is biologicaly based and our health system begins to more aggressivly screen for these health issues.

We are far from knowing the answers but mental health illness is a reality and needs to be understood as well as properly medicated for it. over the ages people have self medicated out of ignorance of their true problem. Once one understands the problem the proper medication and therapy can take the place of drinking and self medicating that has been used to ease the pain of mental illness.

About Matt

An analysis of crime and punishment from the perspective of a former prosecutor and current criminal justice practitioner.
The views expressed on this blog are solely those of the author and do not reflect the opinions or postions of any county, state or federal agency.